Community spirit shines at Brooklyn Bar Association’s annual coat drive

In the spirit of the season, the Brooklyn Bar Association’s Diversity, LGBTQ+, and Membership Committees, in partnership with the LGBTQ+ Law Section of the New York State Bar Association, launched their third annual coat drive with a “Cocktails & Coat Drive” mixer on Oct. 30 at the association’s Remsen Street office in Downtown Brooklyn.

Members who were unable to attend the event can drop off gently worn winter coats for children, women, and men at the Remsen Street office through Nov. 8, Monday through Friday, from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. New York Cares, one of the city’s largest volunteer organizations, will distribute the coats. A related fundraiser will also provide warm meals to New Yorkers in need.

Joy Thompson, chair of the BBA’s diversity committee and a liaison with New York Cares, said the committee had already surpassed its fundraising goal of $500.

“I went to work this morning, and my coworker gave me a whole bag of coats,” she said. “So I think people enjoy getting back [and] enjoy trying to make a difference.”

For Thompson, giving back is second nature, inspired by her parents’ commitment to helping those in need.

“This is my life,” Thompson said. “To bring a little bit of something that I value and to find out there are like-minded people who enjoy this as well is fun.”

The coat drive also offered participants a chance to clear out their closets while supporting the community, said Pamela Walker, co-chair of the BBA’s membership committee.

“It’s sad to, in the middle of winter, see someone shivering, and the thought of somebody not having a coat, and other people have four or five or six in their closet, [so] why not share?” Walker said.

Christina Golkin, co-chair of the BBA’s LGBTQ+ committee, and Sam Buchbauer, chair of the LGBTQ+ Law Section of the New York State Bar Association, noted that the two chapters began collaborating after meeting at a convention earlier this year.

Buchbauer highlighted community outreach as a core mission of the LGBTQ+ Law Section and said he constantly seeks new engagement activities.

“As a new section, we’re trying to test out some new things,” Buchbauer said. “I’ve learned from Christina and the Brooklyn Bar Association about what they’ve been up to and what’s been successful, and it’s also a great way for our members in Brooklyn to get more involved.”

Golkin said the BBA’s LGBTQ+ committee has been involved in philanthropic efforts since 2015, including fundraising for homeless LGBTQ+ youth and transgender advocacy groups.

“In 2023, 500+ anti-LGBTQ bills were introduced,” Golkin noted. “It’s a really scary time for [the LGBTQ+] community. Any activity that brings us together gives us hope [and] makes us feel not alone. It’s important work, and I’m glad we are doing [outreach] work.”

The Brooklyn Bar Association’s mission includes supporting its members and giving back to the broader community. In addition to coat drives, the BBA conducts voter registration and voting drives.

BBA President Anthony Vaughn Jr. emphasized the association’s commitment to serving all Brooklyn residents, not just those in the legal profession.

“We all came from the community,” Vaughn said. “We chose a path of becoming an attorney or a judge, but we didn’t forget where we came from. That’s why it’s important for things like a coat drive to provide something essential for children as well as teenagers and adults to stay warm in the winter.”

Jolene McCauley, who stopped by to donate, underscored the importance of supporting others.

“We have to give back,” McCauley said. “We’re not here to just take care of ourselves. We got to take care of everybody. So it means the world to give back.”